The present invention relates generally to shelving augmentation, and more particularly to a forward-mountable track for retail and related commercial use within a display case.
Refrigerated display cases are commonly used in retail settings to provide for convenient dispensing of food, beverages and related products. In a common form, the display cases employ numerous generally horizontal or gravity-fed shelves onto which the product is placed while awaiting purchase. These shelves are configured to maximize the number of cans, bottles or related product containers that can be seen in the limited amount of space typically available in the display case. Furthermore, the display cases are typically equipped with glass or related optically transparent hinged doors and optional (generally fluorescent) lighting to make it easier to visually identify a familiar or desired product. The makers and distributors of such product are often jockeying for premium shelf space, examples of which include eye level and up-front (closest to the consumer) locations. Such competition also extends to room-temperature display shelving, including gondola-style shelving.
A relatively recent attempt to more fully exploit the precious display case “real estate” in the extremely competitive beverage display industry involves the use of tray-like tracks that mount directly onto the door such that they occupy the void between a plane defined by the front edge of the rows of shelving and a plane defined by the rearward-facing part of the door. In one form, suction cups are used to secure the trays to the generally smooth glass surface. Such devices prominently display the product containers placed therein; however, their use tends to obscure products that are placed on the shelves behind them, especially when beverage containers placed within them are oriented in their normal (vertical) position. In addition, unless the suction cups are properly secured, the weight of the containers could cause tray separation. Similarly, the use of excessive speed in opening the doors could cause container toppling. In either event, ensuing spillage, breakage or related mess is likely to occur. In addition, the trays can not be adjusted to accommodate display cases of varying widths, thereby necessitating that a vendor, supplier or retailer inconveniently keep numerous such trays on hand. Furthermore, trays (especially the wire frame variant) do not readily accept advertising or promotional material for display or easy replacement, either of which is subject to relatively frequent change.
What is needed is a display track that can be unobtrusively mounted inside a conventional display case to promote easy viewing of containers placed therein such that the container does not become obscured by other products placed in the display case. What is further needed is a display track that can be mounted in a secure and stationary way such that containers placed therein are not susceptible to becoming dislodged. What is further needed is a display track that can be adjusted to promote an optimized fit of the track within the display case.